Chapter 200: Emperor's Domain, Part 2

Howard got taken to a secret location by Harkel everyday for 5 hours. He told Oclen and the girls that he was that he wanted to spar Harvard in private, but it was really so he could go all out when teaching him the domain.

Harkel's Ghost Domain was one of the few things spared when he gave up his ghost essence, and as such, in one way, he was still as strong as someone in the SS rank. Yet, against someone like Howard at the given moment, his domain could only accomplish so much. Once they got to his body, a single hit might be enough to kill him!

The gap between the SS rank and the S rank was huge, and the thing he'd lost the most when he healed Reslan was his ability to defend himself from powerful attacks. Ghost essence was the equivalent of a ghosts Ki hearts, and was where he stored all his Ki Cells. Basically, to heal Reslan, he gave him 70 percent of his Ghost Essence in order to grow back all his hearts. However, because of that, he was literally only at 30 percent strength! 

Howard, or someone like him, if they wanted to, could one shot him if he got within range of him, but this also made Harkel happy. He at least had his domain! He at least had the building blocks to teach Howard how to create a domain!

Normally, when teaching a domain, someone would have to first master making 100 Ki Projections, than learn how to store them in a chamber before expanding that chamber out into the environment with your Ki. Yet with Howard, he was trying to do the opposite. He was trying to teach him by letting him deconstruct his own domain! 

Of course, this was an almost impossible task for anyone but Howard! Yet, because of his Emperor's Ki, he seemed to be getting some of the hardest elements down first!

"Very good Howard, haha, but it's not enough! As my Ghost Domain hits you over and over again, trying to destroy your flesh, notice how it affects the entire environment! Notice, notice how I control it! Notice every single damn detail you can!"

"It-it's too hard!" Harvard crossed his arms while dozens of Ghost Domain Swords slashed into his body. "There-there is just too many things going on! I-I feel thousands of different things at once every time one of your swords hits me! Even with my Emperor's Ki, it's nearly impossible to parce what's what!"

"Then don't!" Harkel said, "I saw you copying my fighting style against Kasten, and got this idea! It's best to make sure you can't understand what your'e doing haha! Howard, trust the feeling of my Ki, and try and use it! Come on! Try and attack me back with my domain in its entirety! You can do it!"

"I-I've been trying for the last three hours, if I can do it, then why do I feel like I can't!" Howard's body got cut dozens of times over and over again while he rapidly healed. He-he didn't understand who Harkel wanted him to be! How could anyone learn like this?

When he normally used Emperor's Ki, he used it to copy simple things or to draw someone's Ki out of the air. For instance, when he first fought Necrolith, over two years ago, he only drew in his energy and used it to attack him! It was simply a brute force technique, yet Harkel wanted him to try and complicate one of the most complicated things a Horned could learn!

A Domain was pretty much the building block to domain ki. It was the most important piece to reaching the SSS rank, and something he obviously eventually had to learn. Yet, this didn't make any sense. How could he just suddenly learn it.

"Just try Howard." A voice appeared inside of him, "I believe in you! You can do it!?"

"Who are you?" Howard shook his head, waving it back and forth with angst. He recongized the voice, its sweet tone. It sonuded like his mother! He didnt' understand why she'd be showing up in his head. "Why? Why do you sound like mom! Stop it! Get out!"

Boom!

Howard instantly increased his Ki to such a point that Harkel got sent flying back into the rock wall of the cavern they were in.

A few rocks fell on his head before he sighed and blew out air. His body really was too weak right now! Howard didn't even come close to him, and he already made him sore! What a pain!

'He's definitely as strong sa someone in the SS rank now.' Harkel sighed and pushed himself off the wall. "Well, maybe it's time we rest."

Howard dropped on his knees, to Harkel's surprise, before he walked over to him and patted him on the back.

"Howard, let's take a break. Come on."

"I-I can do it. She's saying I can do it." Howard wiped a tear from his eye. "Mom, you-you've been inside of me this whole time? You-you're still there? Mom, is that really you?"

"Oh brother, he's going razy," Harkel thought of knocking Howard out, but suddenly stepped back. "Ugh, maybe he needs to go crazy, right now. Howard, want me to continue."

"I-I'm going to do it for her. Do you believe in me?" Howard looked up at Harkel with a smile. "Now attack me with everything you got! I-I'm going to show mom what I'm made of!"

"Kid, if I attack you with the maximum strength of my domain, you won't be able to focus even a little bit. I already made it hard. Are you asking me to make it harder?"

"I-I'm sure I can do it, and I'm not crazy. I-I think I just found my mother's last wishes," Howard said with a smile. "She-she wanted to tell me that she loves me, and she believes in me. She wanted to protect me when she was about to die. She didn't care that I had horns. She wanted me to live!"

"I grew my horns longer right now, and realized it. How beautiful she was, and how well she raised me. Harkel, for her, can you please attack me with all your strength? I-I only get to be with her for a moment! I want to impress her! I want to master this domain, so she can see one last thing in her life! Before she fades away! Before her Ki fades away!"

"I promise, I won't hold back," Harkel walked a few steps back and held out his hands, "Now be prepared, Howard! This is going to feel so painful, you won't believe you're alive!"